Pipe wrench



W. J. THOMAS.

1 PIPE WRENCH. APPLICATION FILED AUG-26. 1921'.

- mm I 35 a -Fig.2 is a rear edge elevation of the 1m- Patented Oct. 17,1922..

[marred stares inear earsar ca tes WALTER J". THOMAS, 011 MEMPHIS,TENNESSEE.

PIPE WRENCH.

Application filed August 26,1921. Serial No. 495,470.

T all to ham it may concern Be it known that I, WALTER J. THOMAS, acitizen of the United States, residing at Memphis, in the county ofShelby and State of Tennessee, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Pipe i/Vrenches, ofv

which the following is a specification. This invention relates toimprovements in pipe Wrenches. The primary object of the inventlon isthe provision of a wrench designed in novel manner for use in pipe workand to efiect the movements necessary in attachment or detachment ofpipe connections and the like. A further object of the invention is theprovision of a pipe wrench of the above described character, in whichthevarious parts have been durably constructed in cooperative manner, toprovide an assembled'wrench structure capable of withstanding the strainincident to use;, in this respect differentiating fromthe standard typeof pipe wrench which is weakly constructed in parts necessitated by thepeculiar movements which a wrench of the type specified must have.

"Other objects and advantages will be apparent during the course of thefollowing detailed description.

In the accompanying drawings, form ng apart of this specification, andin which similar reference characters designate corresponding partsthroughout the several views, i i Figure' l is a side elevation of the.improved pipe wrench;

proved pipe wrenchy a i Fig. 3 is a sideelevation, partly lIl section,showing the cooperative arrangement of the vario'usadjustable parts.upon the wrench; Eiga 4 isa cross sectional view, taken on theline 4 4ofFig. 1;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged end view of the movable aw, included in the pipewrench;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged perspective view of a detail. embodied in theimproved pipe wrench. f l, r i

In the drawing,.whereinfor the purpose of illustration is; shown thepreferred em-' 'bQd-iment of my invention, the letter A designates asupporting tructure having the ,m'ovable jaW- 13. attached thereto inadjustable relation bythe adjusting means C.

Thegsupporting structure A includes the handle or hand. engaging portion10, upon acent the jaw element which is rigidly formed the head 11. Ajaw element 12 is preferably attached in any approved manner to thesupporting structure A, the same comprising the stationary jaw of thewrench structure. The head 11 is provided with a socket aperture 13therein, ad-

12. A pair of lugs 14' are provided upon opposite sides 15 and 16 of thehead 11, and immediately adjacent the rear arcuate edge 17 of'said head11. Likewise, a pair of lugs 18 are formed upon the outer sides 15 and16 diametrically opposite thelugs 14- with respect to the socketaperture 13. Certain end faces 19 and 20 of the lugs 14 and 18respectively are provided in a plane extending radially of the socketopening 13, and for a purpose to be subsequently set fort The movablejaw B has been designed to overcome the deficiencies in the ordinarytype of pipe wrench. The same preferably comprises the jaw head 25 andthe stem 26. The stem 26isbifurcated to provide the spaced shankextensions 27 and 28, the space 29 intermediate said shank extensions 27and 28 being of uniform width throughout the length of said shanks andsufficient to freely accommodate the width of the head 11. The upper andlower edges 30 and 31 of the shanks 27 and 28 are flattened, the sides32 and 33 of the shanks 27 and 28 respectively, being screw threaded, incooperative manner, for engagement with the structure C. The articleengaging surface 35 of the jaw head 25 is provided with the teeth 36arranged in V-shaped manner as to their length, transversely upon thesurface 35, the apex of each of said teeth 36 preferably pointing towardthe forward edge 38 of the jaw head 25.

The adjusting means C, preferably comprises the reinforcing fillermember 40 having its ends 41 arcuate in formation and struck from thesame radius asthe radius of the socket aperture 13. The filler member.40, in fact, is of the same width, as the width of head 11 and isadapted for disposition within the socket aperture 13. in

' that the ring nut 43 may be positionedin the socket aperture 13 foroscillation therein. In assemblage, the movable aw B is so positionedover the supporting structure A that the teeth 36 thereof cooperate withthe I teeth upon the stationary jaw 12. in this position, the shanks 27and 28 forming the stem 26 will overlie'the op oosite sides 15 and 16 ofthe head 11. l reparatory to connection of the movable head B foradjustment upon the supporting structure A, the tiller member 40 must beinserted within the'adjusting nut as, and placedtransversely through thesocket aperture'lB. The shanks 27 and 28 can next be, positioned forinsertionthrou gh the nut 13, and upon rotation of said nut 43 withinthesocket aperture 13, the same will engage the threads and 33 of themovable jaw shanks 27 and 28 and feed the movable jaw B toward thestationary jaw 12.

Arouate springs are provided for engagement upon the flat surfaces 31 ofthe shanks 27 and 28 said springs 50 being held by the lugs 14 in suchmanner that they extend forwardly to engage the shanks of the movablejaw B above the axis or center of the socket aperture 18, thus normallyrocking the movable jaw B so that the jaw head 25 thereof is inproximate relation with the jaw 12.

In operation, the improved pipe wrench is used in manner similar to theordinary type of pipe wrench. The movable jaw B is positioned by theadjusting mechanism C so that the same may engage a piece of pipe to beattached or detached. The springs 50 will. of course, as hereinbeforedescribed, rock the movable jaw C forward to normally grasp the pipe orarticle between the jaws of the wrench. Upon rotation of the pipe wrenchby the operator pushing upon the handle 10, the jaws will securelyengage the said pipe to perform the desired work. Due

to the V-shaped length of the teeth.36, a better grasp'may be had uponapiece of pipe in a predetermined length,than that which the ordinaryarrangement of teeth is able to effect.

From the foregoing it can be seen that a pipe wrench has been provided,in which the movable jaw B is capable of relative feeding longitudinallyof the supporting structure A, as well as capable of oscillation inthehead 11. proved type of pipe wrench avoids the weaknesses of theordinary type of pipe wrench. This weakness in the ordinary type of pipewrench is mainly due to the factthat but a single stem is provided uponthe movable jaw B for engagement by the adjusting means.

thereon. It can be readily seen that the In addition, the implurality ofscrew threaded shanks 27 and 28 will provide a wrench capable ofwithstandina great stresses. The adjusting means a is of such a compactnature as to provide the exact movement of the movable jaw B without anylost motion and can function in perfect manner.

Pipe wrenches of the type shown are sometimes of considerable weight andare apt to become broken due to the rough usage to which the same aresubjected. To prevent any breakage of the movable jaw B or itscooperating parts, the springs 50 will act as buffer elements. The lugs18 will likewise prevent injury to the springs 50 due to excessiveoscillation of the movable jaw B upon its axis defined by the center ofthe socket aperture 13. V

Various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be made,to the form ofthe invention herein shown and .de: scribed, withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention or the scope 'of the claims.

I claim: 1. A wrench, comprlsing 1n combination a support ng structureincluding a aw and socket opening, a movablejjaw comprising a bifurcatedstem to provide spaced shanks externally screw threaded on the outersides thereof for overlying opposite sides of said supporting structure,afiller member in said socket opening, andan adjusting nutwithin saidsocket opening and engaging said screw threaded shanks for straight lineand arcuate movement of said movable jaw. I Y I 2. A wrench comprisingin combination a supporting structure including a handle, av

stationary jaw, and having asocket opening therein, amovable jawincludinga aw head. and; a pair of'spaced shanks, said shanks beingexternally screw threaded,a filler member of the same. width as saidsupporting structure and adapted for oscil- 1 latory: movement withinsaid socket opening, a ring shaped adjustment nut for oscillae torymovement within said socket opening and adapted for receiving-saidfiller meniber and to engage the screw threaded shanks of said movablejaw, said shanks being positioned upon opposite sides of said supportingstructure.

3. A wrench comprising a stationary jaw including a supporting structurehaving a transverse perforation therein, a movable jaw including a pairof spaced screw threaded shanks adapted'for receiving said supportingstructure of the stationary jaw in the space intermediate said screwthreaded shanks, and an adjusting nut snugly disposed within saidperforation for oscillation longitudinally of the shanks and rotationtransversely thereof and engaging the screwv threaded shanks when sodisposed i therein, whereby the movable jaw is adjustably positioned onthe supporting structure against displacement.

4. A wrench, comprising a stationary jaw structure including asupporting extension having a cylindrical shaped aperture laterallydisposed therethrough, a movable jaw including a pair of spaced screwthreaded shanks adapted to receive said stationary jaw extensiontherebetween to be disposed upon each side of the aperture therethrough,a nut snugly disposed for rotation within said aperture and engagingsaid screw threaded shanks for adjustment on the movable jaw, said nutengaging the interior surface of said perforation at diametricallyopposed points.

5. A wrench comprising a stationary jaw including a supporting extensionhaving a circular opening laterally therethrough, a movable jawstructure including a pair of spaced screw threaded shanks adapted forreceiving the supporting structure of said stationary aw therebetween,and an internally screw threaded socket nut adapted for lateralplacement in the circular opening of said stationary jaw structure forengaging the screw threaded shanks and whereby said nut may be rotatedfor adjusting said movable jaw and prevent accidental displacementthereof.

6. A wrench, comprising a stationary jaw including a supportingstructure having a circular aperture laterally therethrough, a movablejaw structure including a pair of spaced apart screw threaded shanksadapted for receiving saidisupporting, structure therebetween, and toextend past the circular opening therein, a filler piece ofsubstantially the same width as the width of said supporting structureon the stationary jaw and adapted for snug fitting and rotary movementin the circular aperture intermediate said threaded shanks of themovable jaw, and a nut adapted for engaging the screw threaded shanksand for snug rotary movement within the circular aperture of thesupporting structure, and whereby the movable jaw may be adjustablypositioned for longitudinal and arcuate movement with respect to saidstationary jaw.

7. A wrench, comprising a supporting structure including a jaw having asubstantially cylindrical opening therein, a second having a pair ofscrew threaded shanks extending therefrom, and adjusting meansoscillatively disposed in said substantially cylindrical opening andengaging said screw threaded shanks for movement of the second j aw,said adjusting means being so retained in the opening by said shanks asto be the direct means of maintaining the shanks in proper position uponthe supporting structure.

WALTER J. THOMAS.

